Mr. Death continues to have his way with my childhood icons. Six days after Don Knotts, former child-star Jack Wild passes away. He portrayed Jimmy on one of my favorite Saturday Morning kids programs, “H.R. Pufnstuf.”
Wild’s death is no great surprise, he was not in the greatest of health at 53. Unlike hardworking Don Knotts, Jack Wild’s talents were hindered by a bad case of too much/too soon. As a diminutive teen, he was successful in the role of The Artful Dodger in the hit London musical “Oliver.” That lead to an Oscar nomination for his performance in the 1968 film version. From there he was whisked away from London by Sid & Marty Krofft to star in the “H.R. Pufnstuf” program. On the set, crew members were surprised to find their “Jimmy” was a heavy smoker. I saw an interview with Wild where he talked about living with Marty Krofft while doing the show and having great fun being serviced by Krofft’s horny Hollywood teen daughters (debate and retraction in comments) causing much chaos. While this was going on, the program became successful and Jack Wild became a “Tiger Beat” star.
Unfortunately, it all came to a crashing halt when Jack grew into manhood and the fans moved on to other boys. He tried to pursue a music career (which was the thing to due at the time, as per The Partridge Family, The Brady Kids and countless other 70’s TV-pop wannabees), but it all dried up when he grew up. It’s too bad no one was there to steer his focus onto his acting career, but as it was he focused on heavy drinking and continued heavy smoking. Wild had bad years, but I heard he turned his life around in the last decade and had made many positive changes in the last chapters of his life. He was last in the news in 2004 for having a cancer operation that left him mute.
But just to be clear, I wasn’t a Jack Wild fan so much as I am an H.R. Pufnstuf fan. Jack’s talents were a real benefit to the program. He put out a lot of energy as he convincingly emoted to flutes and giant puppets on the psychedelic set. Each episode featured a fun little song integrated into the story, and often Jack had to perform the song while doing a dance performance with the other performers. Unfortunately, the other performers were in bulky costumes, so the real theatrics were up to Jack or the other excellent human performer on the show, Billie Hayes.
“H.R. Pufnstuf” is obviously inspired by “The Wizard of Oz,” but it is seasoned by so many other disparate pop-influences that it really does take on a life of its own. The show works because, silly as it is, the fantasy is consistent to it’s own set of rules and boundaries, thus making it seem more real much like “Star Trek” or “The Addams Family.”
There was brief talk of making another Pufnstuf movie a few years ago, but it fell through. That would have been fun, but we’ll always have the complete series DVD box set as well as the follow-up movie (out-of-print VHS only, dammit). I gave out the DVDs to some kids I know and they seemed to like Pufnstuf, but they didn’t love it. Maybe this is one childhood favorite I’ll have to keep to myself.
Anyway, thanks Jack, I hope you and Freddy finally got off the island.
Being a Jack wild fan, you were a little loose with the facts…. Marty Kroffts girls were very small children at the time Jack lived there… you are implying something very illegal, which, of course, leaves me wondering about you doing it so effortlessly….maybe a correction is in order?
I don’t think you portrayed Jack as the way he really was. I mean, how do you know he was “being serviced by Krofft’s horny Hollywood teen daughters?” It sounds like gossip to me. And yes…he was a smoker. But back then, everyone smoked. So it’s no suprise that Jack would smoke. The important thing is, that he never did it in public because he didn’t want other people to see it and think it was okay. As for comparing Don Knotts to Jack Wild…apples and oranges. Although, it is always sad to hear of the death of an actor. Although you admitted not to like Jack Wild as much as the show he was on, it doesn’t mean you should make him look like he was into all that Hollywood drama. He was an admirable, genuine man who, in my opinion, made the world a little bit more of better place.
Jack was the entertainer.
Welcome, members of “Simply Friends: Jack Wild Forum,” thanks for your interest in my post!
My comment about Jack Wild’s stay at Marty Krofft’s was based on an interview I saw where Jack made a fleeting comment about “those were the days!” at the Krofft household. He didn’t specify anything, but it certainly seemed like something suggestive. Of course if the Krofft girls were children at the time, then I certainly came to the wrong conclusion! Perhaps Marty Krofft’s Playboy Playmate wife introduced Jack and his brother to her co-workers? I don’t consider any of this to be “drama,” just the normal activities of a teenage boy.
I thought the interview in question might have been the one at the end of the Rhino H.R. Pufnstuf VHS box set. I was going to quote it exactly for you until I realized I sold those tapes on eBay after I got the DVD box set!
So having no evidence, I have altered the post. Thanks for your challenge.
I watched the Jack Wild interview on the DVD set and it is different than the one in the VHS version. I’m glad I looked at it again though, as it reminded me what a neat guy he was!
As for criticizing his smoking, I was merely stating fact. I don’t judge people for smoking. Jack criticized his own smoking, as he blamed it in part for his bad health.
I didn’t “compare” Jack Wild with Don Knotts talent-wise, I was merely pointing out that Knotts had a very slow rise to fame while Jack experienced a rapid rise (and fall). If he had been prepared for some lean years (as happens to most entertainers), he could have avoided his problems and no doubt would have gone on to greater success.
Yes, Jack was a good entertainer and I don’t doubt he was a good guy.
Its sad enough that Jack wild passed away he was an inspiration to many people and He can still reach young children which is a talent that goes way beyond acting He was a very talented person who really cared about his fans.everyone makes mistakes and poor jack payed for his its a sad world for child actors everything came to fast for jack he was a great actor and had a oscar nomination for his wonderful performance as the dodger in oliver my little girl adores jack and she lights up and has a big simle everytime we watch pufnstuf and by the way what in the world does jack have to do with Don Knotts? its really mean to compare anyone and its sad tome I think you are jelous of jack and you should really know facts before your write that jack was with the daughters of the kroffts which were little girls at the time shows how much you know I will always be a fan of the wonderful jack wild he will forever be in my heart and he will always touch my life he make this world an better place with those big hazel sparkling eyes and that wonderful smile and by the way his three records got four stars
Hi Catherine,
It’s good to see that the memory of Jack Wild and his work will be kept alive for many years to come by enthusiastic fans such as yourself. I retracted my statement about Jack and the Krofft girls by having a “crossout” line over that part of my original post. That statement had already been challenged here in the comments section by Jill and Nancy. If I had merely erased that portion, then Jill and Nancy’s comments would no longer make sense. Yes, I made an incorrect assumption about Jack, but please note that I did say “teen” in reference to the daughters, so you can’t accuse me of saying anything about “little girls” in any way.
Did you read the comments section before you commented?
Like Jill, you are also offended that I compare Don Knotts to Jack Wild. Perhaps you feel I was judging Jack’s talents, but that was not my point. I was referring to their career paths. Don and Jack were both TV stars in the 60’s, both extremely talented and they died within a week of one another.
So I’m sorry my comments from last March hit you the wrong way, Catherine, but I swear I like Jack Wild too! That’s why I felt compelled to blog an article about his passing, lamenting the reasons why we didn’t get more from him while he was around.